Referenciaváltozók

Referenciaváltozók, or reference variables, are a fundamental concept in many programming languages, particularly those that support object-oriented paradigms. Unlike value variables which store a direct copy of a value, reference variables store a memory address or a pointer to another location in memory where the actual data resides. This means that multiple reference variables can point to the exact same object.

When an assignment operation occurs with reference variables, it does not copy the data itself. Instead, it copies the memory address. Consequently, if you modify the object through one reference variable, any other reference variable pointing to the same object will reflect that change. This can lead to more efficient memory usage, especially for large objects, as only one copy of the data needs to be stored.

Understanding the distinction between value and reference semantics is crucial for avoiding unexpected behavior and for writing efficient and correct code. Languages like Java, C++, and C# extensively use reference variables. In contrast, languages like Python and JavaScript also heavily rely on reference semantics, though their underlying implementation might differ slightly. The concept is also sometimes referred to as "pass-by-reference" when arguments are passed to functions.